A Blessing for the Beloved

Beloved,
It’s Peter’s term for the saints (1 Peter 4:12)
Because
That’s who you are.
You are
“One who is loved.”

All the other definitions
Of your life
Pale in comparison.

You might be a mother,
Or a teacher,
Or a singer,
Or lawyer.

You might be tall,
Or stout,
Or blonde,
Or bald.

But God calls you
“Beloved.”

You are identified
Not by your own qualities
But by God’s quality of love
For you.

I blessed you, Beloved,
To remember who you are—
One who is loved,
Forever loved.